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About JoAnn Chateau

JoAnn Chateau likes progressive politics and loves the canines. She sometimes writes fiction about Chester (the Alpha Bichon) and his friends -- with a dash of humor and dab of Poli-Sci. JoAnn's views and insights are tinted by her past profession in Counseling, Christian theological studies, and Library and Information Science training. Retired now, JoAnn enjoys the creative life.

Hundreds of American veterans are gathering in Standing Rock, North Dakota to support Sioux Tribe Water Protectors on December 4, 2016. They plan to stay for three days. Surely this will galvanize President Obama to take appropriate action to respect and protect Native American rights, our water, and the climate.

“Earlier this month… [ activist Wes Clark Jr. and police reform advocate Michael A. Wood Jr.] formed Veterans Stand For Standing Rock with the hope of drawing scores of veterans, as well as fire fighters, ex-law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel and others to the battleground for a three-day “deployment” in early December to “prevent progress on the Dakota Access Pipeline and draw national attention to the human rights warriors of the Sioux tribes.” Both men say they’re prepared to…

“In addition to providing support to the protesters… it’s another way to raise awareness about the protest… but it will also make an important statement about the significance of Thanksgiving… While the myth of a harmonious Thanksgiving between native people and settlers dinner still lingers… the reality is that Thanksgiving is really a reminder that Native Americans have been exploited for centuries…”

Maybe it’s time for Student Debt Jubilee. Student loan forgiveness would not only give a reprieve to those in debt, it would create an economic upswell for all of America. Imagine the boon to our economy if student loan debtors could afford to replace old shoes, cars, and washing machines — instead of merely paying down the compound interest of their student loans.

Be watchful. The controversial Stand Your Ground law may become a more powerful defense. Florida wants to strengthen the law by putting the proof of dangerous intent on the prosecution, rather than requiring the defendant to prove self-defense.

In addition, if the prosecution cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the shooter was not acting in self-defense, they are required to award $200K towards the defendant’s legal costs.

The Young Turks break it down:

You Might Be Able To Get Paid $200,000 For Shooting Someone In Florida (Video)

“Any time somebody murders somebody, but it has to be with a gun… so you’re telling me, [if] I’m doing self-defense without a gun, it’s not allowed, it doesn’t get any protections. But if I have a gun, whoever has the gun is almost, by definition, thought to be completely innocent, and the state has the burden… [to prove otherwise]… A nearly…

Russell Brand has a new film coming out April 24, 2015, The Emperor’s New Clothes. It’s about escalating inequality since the financial crisis of 2008. Recently proclaimed the world’s fourth leading thinker, ‘listen up’ to what Brand has to say.

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Milton Friedman once said that every crisis was an opportunity. The financial crisis of 2008 should have been a chance to reform the system for the benefit of everyone. But instead, austerity for everyone throughout Britain and Europe was the price to be paid for supporting the financial sector, with £131 billion spent by UK tax payers to keep the financial system afloat, while $30 trillion in support and subsidies went to Wall Street in the US.

Using a mixture of documentary, interviews, archive footage and comedy, Russell Brand takes us from his hometown Grays in Essex, to the heart of London ‘City’ and on to…

Ghostly hologram protesters march outside the Spanish Parliament. It’s part of the No Somos Delito Movement, which fights to protect the right of demonstration and peaceful assembly.

Holographic projections of Spanish protesters have marched outside the Spanish parliament. The activists behind the unique performance say the goal is to draw attention to a new law – imposing drastic limits on people’s right to protest.

The regulations come into force in July, with heavy fines attached. Anyone who takes part in unauthorized protest camps will have to pay 600 euros. Rallying near a government building or putting up a barricade comes with a penalty of up to 30 thousand euros. But the heaviest fine of all – over half a million euros- is for blocking national infrastructure including airports and nuclear power plants.

Stéphane Grueso – member of the ‘No Somos Delito’ movement which organized the hologram protest is [interviewed on]…

Good news! On November 4th, Tallahassee, FL was the first city in the United States to pass a city Anti-Corruption Act.

Watch the video to see how they used a non-partisan process to get the job done. Now, Represent.US will use their success as a model to help other cities around the nation do the same.

Then, you watch, it’ll go to Washington D.C. This is powerful! The people are powerful!

On Nov. 4th, 2014, voters in Tallahassee, Florida, made history by approving the first city Anti-Corruption Act in the United States by an overwhelming 2 – 1 margin. Your community could be next — Learn more at Tallahassee Anti-Corruption.

Amy Goodman is doing street interviews with leading climate activists. You hear marchers and drums in the background. And right now, I’m listening to Neil Diamond sing an original song about saving the Earth.

Share the Livestreams

Please share the People’s Climate March livestreams with your friends. It’s a great event!

The DemocracyNow! livestream is more professional. The YouTube livestream is more grass-rootsy.